When Brentford FC moved to Ticketmaster for the 2023/2024 season, they launched their ‘Every Seat Counts’ campaign. As a Premier League club that sells out its inventory week in and week out, no-shows meant up to 1000 seats were empty at every home game. Frustrated Brentford fans had to watch Premier League matches at home, even though there were empty seats at the stadium.
Brentford’s solution: maximising Ticketmaster’s ticket exchange technology. The club’s marketing director, Steve Watts, explained that “launching ‘Every Seat Counts’ was only possible thanks to the Ticketmaster Ticket Exchange.”
The club’s owner Matthew Benham and CEO Jon Varney are lifelong supporters of the Bees who are willing to try new approaches to success while also providing accessible football for its fans and positive action for its local community.
In December 2022, Brentford consulted supporters’ groups on upcoming season ticket renewals. Amid a cost-of-living crisis in the UK, the club was conscious of enhancing ticketing revenues whilst avoiding price increases.
THE CHALLENGE
Despite gaining a pro-rata fee back in future ticket credit when selling seats on the existing resale platform, less than half of season ticket holders were platform users. The consultation feedback highlighted user experience was a key factor in the low uptake of supporters. Seats were simply left empty, fans were left out, and matchday revenues would suffer as a result.
Through an in-depth and transparent fan consultation process and data analysis, it was agreed that the priority should be improving stadium occupancy. By getting non-attending season ticket holders to list their tickets and by providing a user-friendly platform, many benefits could be met:
· Season ticket holders receive ticket credit
· Better membership proposition (more tickets available to buy)
· Increased revenue for the club
· A better matchday atmosphere
The club set about changing season ticket behaviours by introducing a new process in consultation with supporter groups. Moving to Ticketmaster offered an enhanced Ticket Exchange solution, a streamlined process for listing tickets for sale, and a user-friendly experience.
As part of the new season ticket agreement, supporters agreed to support the following process:
1. Attend the match
2. Share the ticket with friends and family who will attend
3. List their ticket on Ticket Exchange before 10am on Matchday
4. List their ticket after the deadline, but it will be sold before kick-off
Brentford will issue a ‘yellow card’ to season ticket holders who don’t use their Season Ticket or fail to list their seat for resale before the deadline. Accumulating four yellow cards during the season could result in the loss of renewal rights for the next season.
THE RESULTS
NEAR FULL RETENTION AND FROZEN PRICES
The additional revenue allowed Brentford to freeze ticket prices for Premier League matches for the 2023/24 match, with a whooping 98% season ticket renewal rate.
INCREASED USE OF TICKET EXCHANGE
Brentford successfully adapted season ticket behaviours – one of their most important objectives from this process. Supporters are increasingly comfortable with the platform, with listings and sales increasing by 136% and 132%, respectively. Brentford predicts this will grow as fans become more accustomed to the Ticketmaster Ticket Exchange platform.
MINIMISE EMPTY SEATS
Brentford achieved fewer empty seats on matchday with a 4% increase in occupancy for Cat B matches in 2023/24 compared to the previous season.
BETTER TICKETING EXPERIENCE
Satisfaction with the ticketing experience has increased in internal surveys with Ticketmaster’s advanced ticketing technology, including Ticket Exchange, a critical factor in partnering with Brentford.
MAINTAINING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS
Following regular meetings with its two principal fan groups, Bees United and BIAS, Brentford FC agreed upon the new policy, maintaining their already strong relationships with them.
INCREASED MEMBERSHIP SALES
With more tickets available for members, the membership proposition has become more attractive, leading to more new members, and more members able to attend a Premier League home match compared to last season.
Ready to join Brentford in using Ticket Exchange?
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